Sanding device for cars



(No Model.)

H. F. RODNEY.

SANDING DEVICE FOR CARS. No. 524,735. Patented Aug. 21, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. ROONEY, OF RANDOLPH, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARY OHISHOLM,OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SANDING DEVICE FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,735, dated August21, 1894.

Application filed April 13, 1894. Serial No. 507,383- (No model.)

This invention relates to a device whereby the driver of a street car,more particularlya car driven by-other than horse power, such as cable,or electricity, is enabled to quickly and conveniently distribute sandon the track in front of the driving wheels whenever there is danger oftheir slipping by reason of the smoothness or slipperiness of the trackrails. And the invent-ion consists in the novel construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, whereby the sand may be distributed quickly,freely and certainly, and at a comparatively small expense.

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinalvertical section, of a car provided with my apparatus. Fig. 2, is a planviewof the under side with a part of my device shown in horizontalsection! Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the bottom of a car, A the sides, a the dash-board, and athe wheels.

B B are sand conducting tubes whose rear ends are in front of the carwheels and which incline upward and converge at 12 into one tube B"whose mouth is substantially flush with the dash-board. These sand tubesare secured by hangers or straps b to the under side of the car, andtheir rear ends are providerl with clappers or closures C G which arerigidly secured to the curved elbow levers D Dpivoted at d d to ears E Eextending from the tubes. The inner ends-of the levers D D are connectedby wires or rods e c with the lower end of a lever F pivoted at f to abar F extending from the dash-board, the upper end of said lever beingadapted to be caught in teeth 9' in a catch g extending from thedash-board. Springs h it connect the levers D D with the bar H or anyconvenient stationary portion of the car.

To allow the escape of sand, the upper end of the lever F is pulledtoward the dash-board thus pulling the wires e 6' forward and drawingthe clappers or closures C C from the rear ends of the sand tubes B B.When the handle F is released, the springs h h act to close the sandtubes, or the lever F may be caught in a tooth g and allow a continuousflow of sand.

In order to allow the sand to be agitated or loosened in the tubes, soas to prevent caking, &c., an anchor shaped piece J extends through asuitable opening in the head or cap K at the front end of the tube B",and has pivotally secured to its arms shaker rods L L extending into thetubes B B said shaker rods having shakers or agitators N N extendingacross at different angles. The front end of the anchor shaped piece orrod J is pivotally secured to the lower end of a lever Ppivotallysecured at P to an arm R extending from the dashboard. By this means,the driver can, by vibrating the lever P, work the shakers in the sandtubes, and keep the sand loose.

The sand is poured into the tube B through a pipe S, by lifting a trapS.

Having thus fully described. my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The herein described improved sanding device for cars, comprising thesand tubes B B uniting in front in a single tube B, the closures G O attheir rear ends actuated by the levers D D, the rods or wires extendingfrom vices L L N N extending longitudinally in the sand tubes and withtheir front ends secured to a rod or bar connecting with an actuatinglever in convenient position for the driver, substantially as set forth.

HENRY F. RODNEY.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, J. M. HARTNETT.

